Fed up with illinois moving out (Chicago, Belleville: condos, school district, gyms)

[jasperhobbs]

I'm always amazed at how many people that leave Illinois and apparently have found paradise, spend so much time on this forum. Or could it be.....

[jasperhobbs]

Originally Posted by Justabystander

Here's another one for you!! My kid's high school is U.S. News and World Report Gold Medal. I pinch myself when I am at a football game, a concert, or open house. My neighborhood has great streets with curbs, lighting, a vibrant downtown area, even in the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, I walked to the train, for a 25 minute commute to my good job in the city where I make enough to pay the taxes to pay to live in a great town. In the pandemic, real estate is on fire, and there is teardown activity everywhere. I live with educated people around me who are not penny wise and pound foolish, and know that good schools for their kids paid for by taxes result in successful students ( hopefully ) who have a chance in life.

There are endless posts on how great it would be to live in TN, WI, SD, Northwest Indiana blah blah blah. NW Indiana for me is so ugly, towns that have spread out from Gary's demise. I could never picture myself there. As far as living on a lake, or in the country, to each his own. I am willing to pay more for convenience, accessiblity, and civilization. I also would never dream of going on a forum to constantly bash a place.

Perhaps the bashing makes them feel better about where they live now.

[jasperhobbs]

Originally Posted by Justabystander

Here's another one for you!! My kid's high school is U.S. News and World Report Gold Medal. I pinch myself when I am at a football game, a concert, or open house. My neighborhood has great streets with curbs, lighting, a vibrant downtown area, even in the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, I walked to the train, for a 25 minute commute to my good job in the city where I make enough to pay the taxes to pay to live in a great town. In the pandemic, real estate is on fire, and there is teardown activity everywhere. I live with educated people around me who are not penny wise and pound foolish, and know that good schools for their kids paid for by taxes result in successful students ( hopefully ) who have a chance in life.

There are endless posts on how great it would be to live in TN, WI, SD, Northwest Indiana blah blah blah. NW Indiana for me is so ugly, towns that have spread out from Gary's demise. I could never picture myself there. As far as living on a lake, or in the country, to each his own. I am willing to pay more for convenience, accessiblity, and civilization. I also would never dream of going on a forum to constantly bash a place.

I never really see South Dakota as retirement destination but I'm sure taxes are low. Climate is so so but Rapid city is considered being in the banana belt and not as cold as the rest of the state.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by RemoteInWisco

I'm sorry, but property taxes in Illinois are not reasonable by any stretch of the imagination. You basically need to take out two mortgages in order to purchase a home. One for principle and interest, and one to pay into escrow for property taxes, which in many cases exceeds the principle and interest on the home itself. What this does is that it either drastically reduces a a potential homeowners buying power, or else makes home ownership completely out of reach for many folks.

For the people that can "afford it", and I am one of them as I could have swung paying the 10K+ per year in Lake or Mchenry County, it takes a significant chunk of money out of their household budget. My taxes here in Wisconsin are well less than half that of the people 20 miles South of me over the border. That's 5000-6000 dollars per year that I can invest for retirement, go on vacation with my wife, make a large purchase for our young daughter, etc.

Even moronic Springfield recognizes how ridiculous property taxes in Illinois have before. They formed a task force to "study" the problem https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/resear...ask-Force.aspx

As per normal the task force accomplished almost nothing, but it does show that they at least do not harbor under the delusion that the "amenities" justify the cost.

For the record I loved living in the Wauconda area in Illinois which was my previous residence prior to moving here. I loved the quaint downtown where all the shop owners knew me by name. I loved having a million lake and outdoor activities a stones throw away. I loved my neighbors. Its a great place to be. But when I can get essentially the same cultural backdrop that I enjoy elsewhere for thousands less? That is a no brainer decision.

You seem to be under the impression that Illinois taxes are reasonable and justified. To believe this is to be willfully ignorant of about the last 5 decades of history, which has seen financial mismanagement almost too colossally stupid to be believed.

You are free to move about the country. Before purchasing a home you are aware of the effective property tax rate. You are aware of the price range you are buying in. Chicago suburbs are highly desirable and if you cannot make it work/find it too expensive/don't agree with the tax situation, there are alternatives.(this paragraph is in general, not directly at you)


I agree though. Property taxes in IL are quite significant. A little too much if I had to give an opinion... Atleast 60% higher than they should.

However, IL provides amenities other low tax states cannot afford. The pension/corruption is out of hand in IL but again, there are other alternatives around the country.

My advice is buy under budget.. smaller home, lower expenses.. and make it work. My family and I have done this.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Higher Taxes = Higher quality services and amenities.

Same with IL, IL provides fabulous services and lifestyles that many Americans do in fact want.

Higher taxes do not equal higher quality services everywhere. Live in the city of Detroit for a few years and get back to us.

I never heard anyone saying they wanted to move anywhere in the southern 2/3s of Illinois.

[Justabystander]

Originally Posted by debbie at bouontiful

Well I've lived in IL twice and your wrong about wages I know for a fact. Husband been transferred to many States with his job an IL had the highest property taxes we had ever paid and my place down here is worth a lot more than there. OU and OSU are great schools. Frankly when I think of IL, Chicago is not on the list. I lived in Galena and it was wonderful, the people are wonderful and I have many friends. We may move back for the friends and area but again you have no idea as to how much more you pay than other States. I lived in CA, Utah, Kentucky, Wis. and IL twice. The trademen you have talked to are not the norm I am sure. We do have paved roads unless your looking at some ancient picture.

Debbie, I respect your opinion, but OU and OSU are definitely no U of I, Northwestern, or University of Chicago, and it is not even close. Oklahoma City is no Chicago and the professional positions there cannot even compare. The median income in Oklahoma is $51K, Illinois is almost $66k. You lived in CA and you are slamming the cost of living in Illinois? The house I grew up in that my parents paid $37k for is now worth $1 m in Orange County, a simple two story.

Honestly, when I think of Oklahoma I think of earthquakes from frakking, tornadoes, the dustbowl, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the Tulsa riots. I cannot think of anything really unique or positive, although I am sure that there is plenty but I am just not aware of it.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by ram2

Higher taxes do not equal higher quality services everywhere. Live in the city of Detroit for a few years and get back to us.

I never heard anyone saying they wanted to move anywhere in the southern 2/3s of Illinois.

Ahh see. That's what we call "cherry picking" . Sure there are exceptions to the rule, but in general, higher taxes are higher quality services.

Sure Southern IL and inner city Detroit may have high taxes, but they have wayyy different situations going on.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Ahh see. That's what we call "cherry picking" . Sure there are exceptions to the rule, but in general, higher taxes are higher quality services.

Sure Southern IL and inner city Detroit may have high taxes, but they have wayyy different situations going on.

And I do not see people rushing to move to the city of Detroit.

"Cherry picking" works both ways. The discussion of why people are looking to leave Illinois is due to not getting the services for the ongoing tax increases of the past 20+ years.

[ChicagoMeO]

late to this topic, but, Im moving out of downtown chicago to the suburbs, for me that will be a huge change of pace in every way - environment, ease of getting to places, nature (squirrels, birds, trees, lawn, etc) vs my concrete canyon here, and lower rent.

I love seeing the commercials for other places, like the commercials for the Florida Keys, just beautiful, but the hurricanes and humidity keep me from going there, (by the way, where in Florida is it least humid?)

I have roots here, so im sorta stuck on Illinois and surrounding area.

I do go to Michigan around the other side of the lake (been as far north as Traverse City, but i usually hang out along the lake, I'd move there but the governor is nuts and a tyrant, worse than Illinois).

I think the climate is perfect here, i mean if you go to other places, you have to put up with weather situations that we dont get here, like tornados or hurricanes or mudslides.

[Sunbiz1]

Originally Posted by RemoteInWisco

Don't believe me? Check out the Illinois State Office of the Comptroller's website and look at their budgets and projections.

I have no need, as just yesterday I heard complaints from a 30 y/o business owner; feeling she wasn't getting value in return vs. taxation rates.
No worries though, our unilateral dictator of a governor has a plan; entitled federal covid bailout.
Other states have limited this through their respective Supreme courts, only our Constitution is akin to West Virginia; so nobody is bothering.